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United States Patent |
5,147,269
|
Jondelius
|
September 15, 1992
|
Method for manufacturing cartons and blanks therefor and apparatus for
carrying out the method
Abstract
A method and apparatus for producing blanks to form into cartons, boxes or
the like from a continuous sheet, the carton having a substantially
tubular shaped part which, in cross-section, has three or more sides, the
blank including continuous, sequentially disposed portions which will
provide carton side parts and flap parts at one or both of the ends of the
tubular carton side part at some or each of the side parts, the ends of
the tubular carton part being closed by the flap parts. A sheet or blank
of required shape is produced using a fixture with a longitudinal
extension that corresponds to the longitudinal extension of the tubular
carton part and has a cross-sectional outer profile which corresponds to
the cross-sectional profile of the tubular carton part. An edge part of a
material sheet of at least the required size for a blank is attached to
the fixture preferably along a longitudinally extending corner part of the
fixture, the corner part forming a demarcation line between two adjacent
side parts of the carton blank and at which line the sheet is folded, and
the side parts wrapped around the fixture in the tubular carton part
configuration with flap parts which are a continuation of the carton side
parts. The fixture can be used as a template when it is necessary to cut
and remove excess parts of the sheet attached to and formed around the
fixture.
Inventors:
|
Jondelius; Bjorn (Upplandsgatan 84, S-113 44 Stockholm, SE)
|
Appl. No.:
|
572225 |
Filed:
|
August 24, 1990 |
Current U.S. Class: |
493/57; 30/2; 493/82; 493/175; 493/465 |
Intern'l Class: |
B31B 003/14; B31B 003/22; B31B 003/28 |
Field of Search: |
493/51,57,82,83,175,295,468
30/2
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
1528073 | Mar., 1925 | Phillips | 493/175.
|
1882049 | Oct., 1932 | Wellman | 493/175.
|
2759544 | Aug., 1956 | De Vries | 30/2.
|
2826969 | Mar., 1958 | Wasyluka et al. | 493/468.
|
2915932 | Dec., 1959 | Gross | 30/2.
|
3015197 | Jan., 1962 | Eichorn | 53/208.
|
4308020 | Dec., 1981 | Langen | 493/468.
|
4441948 | Apr., 1984 | Gillard et al. | 493/295.
|
4659322 | Apr., 1987 | Boudin et al. | 493/57.
|
4932930 | Jun., 1990 | Coalier et al. | 493/295.
|
Primary Examiner: Terrell; William E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Nies, Kurz, Bergert & Tamburro
Claims
I claim:
1. A method for manufacturing a sheet blank, adapted to be folded to a
carton, from a sheet of carton material, said carton comprising a
substantially tubular carton part which, in cross-section, has at least
three sides and which is constructed from a sheet blank with a continuous
row of sequential adjacent carton portions which will form side parts of
the carton, which sheet blank further includes flap parts located at least
at one of the two ends of the tubular carton part at least at some of the
side parts, the flap parts being adapted to close the tubular carton part,
said method comprising making a sheet blank (1') of requisite
configuration with the aid of a fixture (5) having a longitudinal extended
shape, which corresponds to the longitudinal extended shape of the desired
tubular carton part (2), and a cross-sectional outer profile which
corresponds to the cross-sectional outer profile of the desired tubular
carton part (2); by the steps of obtaining and mounting a sheet of carton
material, of requisite size sufficient to make at least a sheet blank, on
the fixture (5); the step of locating an edge part (8) of said sheet of
carton material contiguous with a longitudinally extending corner part (9)
of the fixture, said corner part (9) forming a demarcation line between
two mutually adjacent side parts (4); the step of folding and wrapping the
sheet of carton material around the fixture to form said desired tubular
carton part and the contiguous flap parts (3), which form a continuation
of said tubular carton part; and the steps of slitting and removing
excessive parts of the sheet of carton material, while wrapped on the
fixture, as necessary to make the final shaped sheet blank, while using
the fixture as a template.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said fixture has a locking slot,
the step of locating, including the specific step of inserting, said edge
part (8) into the locking slot (7) in the fixture whereby the sheet of
material is retained by said locking slot while folding and wrapping the
sheet of carton material around said fixture, to form a securing flap (8')
by means of which the tubular carton part can be held together.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the flap parts (3) are formed by
the step of making cuts extending substanially in the longitudinal
direction of the fixture, and wherein the cuts are made with the aid of
cutting slots (3') in the fixture which extend substantially in said
longitudinal direction and which enable the fixture to be used as a
template.
4. A method according to claim 1, including the step of forming folding
lines (11) in the junctions between the tubular carton part (2) of the
sheet and the flap parts (3) of the sheet with the aid of strips (10)
mounted externally on the fixture and extending substantially transversely
to said longitudinal direction.
5. A method according to claim 1, including the step of rotating the
fixture about a longitudinal axis, wherein the sheet is wrapped around the
fixture.
6. A method according to claim 1, including the step of making
substantially longitudinal cuts (3'), in the sheet of carton material, to
form said flap parts (3) with the aid of mechanically driven knife means
(15).
7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the flap parts (3) arew folded to
an end-wall position, which corresponds to a position in which the tubular
carton part is closed, along the end-wall edges (20) of the tubular carton
part, and in that all support parts forming templates in the formation of
said flap parts are folded to an end-wall position.
8. A method according to claim 1, comprising the specific steps of
producing a sheet blank (1') for the production of a substantially
parallelepipedic carton (1) with the aid of the fixture (5), wherein that
part (5') of said fixture which is intended to form the substantially
tubular carton part (2) has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional
shape.
9. Apparatus for manufacturing sheet blanks, said blanks being adapted to
be folded to the shape of a carton from a sheet of carton material at
least as large as the desired sheet blank, the carton which will be made
from such a blank having a substantially tubular carton part which, in
cross-section, has at least three sides and is constructed from a blank
having a continuous row of sequentially disposed carton portions which
form carton side parts, the blank further including flap parts at least
one of the two ends of said resultant tubular carton part at least some of
the carton side parts, said flap parts being adapted to close the
resulting tubular carton part, said apparatus comprising: a fixture (5)
which has a longitudinal extended shape that corresponds to the
longitudinal extended shape of the tubular carton part (2), of the desired
carton, and a cross-sectional outer profile shape which corresponds
substantially to the cross-sectional outer profile shape of the tubular
carton part (2) of the desired carton; said fixture including attachment
devices (6) for receiving an edge part (8) of a sheet of carton material,
said attachment devices perferably being located adjacent a longitudinally
extending corner part (9) of the fixture, said corner part forming a
demarcation between two mutually adjacent side parts (4) of the extended
shape of said fixture, wherein the sheet of carton material is intended to
be folded and wrapped around the fixture to form said tubular carton part
(2) and flap parts (3) as a continuation of said carton part, and wherein
the fixture is also configured to form a template, when it is found
necessary, to provide a guide to aid in removal of excess parts of the
sheet of carton material mounted and wrapped on the fixture.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said fixture includes a
sheet-retaining slot (7) which extends longitudinally along a corner part
(9) of said fixture and in which said edge part (8) of a sheet of carton
material is intended to be inserted so as to retain said edge part while
folding and wrapping the sheet of carton material around said extended
shape of said fixture, and thereby forming a securing flap (8') on the
resultant sheet blank by means of which the resultant tubular carton part
(2) can be held together.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the slot (7) in said fixture
has a predetermined depth to which said edge part (8) of the sheet
material can be inserted, the depth of the slot (7) determining the length
of the securing flap (8') transversely to the longitudinal extent of the
intended tubular carton and thereby in the circumferential direction of
the intended tubular carton part.
12. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the fixture includes support
parts (12) which project from the fixture longitudinal shape substantially
in the longitudinal direction; and wherein said support parts (12) include
cutting slits (3') which enable the fixture to be used as a template, when
forming said flap parts (3), with the aid of cuts (3") between the
individual flap parts made substantially in the longitudinal direction of
the fixture adjacent said cutting slits.
13. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein means mount said support parts
to the fixture and enable said support parts (5") to be folded to an
end-wall position of said fixture, whereby the flap parts (3) of a sheet
blank with said support parts folded can be folded to an end-wall position
along the wall edges (20) of the wrapped tubular carton part of a sheet
blank so as to form folding creases at the flap parts along which the
tubular carton part can be closed by folding the flap parts.
14. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the fixture includes externally
mounted strip means (10) which extend substantially transversely to said
longitudinal direction at the ends of the part (5') of the fixture which
corresponds to the intended tubular carton part, said strip means (10)
functioning to press folding line (11) depressions in the sheet of
material at the junction between the tubular carton part and the flap
parts.
15. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein means are connected to said
fixture for rotating said fixture about a longitudinal axle.
16. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a knife means assembly (15) is
provided adjacent said fixture and is operative to make substantially
elongated cuts, in a sheet blank on the fixture which forms flap parts on
the sheet blank.
17. Apparatus according ro claim 9, wherein the part (5') of said fixture,
by means of which the substantially tubular carton part is formed, has a
substantially rectangular cross-sectional outer profile.
18. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said fixture includes a
substantially tubular body having a central part (5') intended to form
said tubular carton part of a carton, and two end parts (12), connected
with said central part, intended to form flap parts on the tubular part of
a carton sheet blank, said end parts provide requisite slits (3'), such as
corner-part based slits enabling cutting guides for splitting between flap
parts of a sheet blank for a carton.
19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said tubular body includes two
internal end-wall parts (13), and a said end-wall part is located at each
of the junctions between said central part and respective said end parts.
Description
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing sheet blanks,
from which cartons, boxes and like containers can be made from a
continuous sheet of material, the final carton shape including a
substantially tubular, carton-part constructed from blank, with a
continuous row of sequentially disposed carton side members, and further
including flap parts at preferably each of the two ends of the
carton-part, the flap parts being connected with a respective side-part
and functioning to close the tubular carton-part.
The invention also relates to apparatus for carrying out the method.
Cartons of the aforesaid kind are typically produced by high-capacity
mechanical punching and creasing processes. This requires large
investments in machines, tools, etc. these high investments being
unacceptable in the case of low capacity requirements.
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the
low-capacity production of such cartons in an efficient manner and at low
costs. The invention can be applied with both manual and semi-manual
production of carton blanks of a given size with a starting point from
carton blanks of larger sizes.
The invention thus relates to a method for manufacturing sheet blanks for
cartons, boxes and the like from a continuous sheet, the cartons including
a substantially tubular, not-necessarily cylindrical carton-part which
exhibits in cross-section at least three side walls and which is
constructed from a sheet blank having a continuous row of sequentially
arranged carton pieces which side walls, and further comprising flap parts
at the sheet blank further including flap parts at least at one of the two
ends of the carton part and on at least certain of the side parts, the
flap parts functioning to enable closing of the tubular carton part.
The method is particularly characterized in that a sheet blank of requisite
shape is produced with the aid of a fixture or jig having a longitudinal
extension which corresponds to the longitudinal extension of the tubular
carton part and having a cross-sectional outer profile which corresponds
to the cross-sectional outer profile of the tubular carton part; in that a
sheet of requisite size is mounted on the fixture with one edge part of
said sheet preferably contiguous with a longitudinally extending corner
part of the fixture, the corner part forming a demarcation line between
two mutually adjacent side parts; the sheet being folded, wrapped, around
the fixture to form the part which will become the tubular carton part and
also the flap parts which are a continuation of the carton part; and when
applicable excess portions of the sheet mounted on the fixture are
removed, preferably while using the fixture as a template.
The invention also relates to apparatus for manufacturing cartons, sheet
blanks for making boxes and the like from a continuous sheet of material,
said carton having a substantially tubular, carton part which in
cross-section will have at least three sides and which is constructed with
the aid of a blank which will have a continuous row of sequentially
arranged carton side parts, and further having flap parts on at least one
of the two ends of said carton side parts on at least some of the parts,
so at least one end of the said tubular carton part can be closed by means
of the flap parts.
The apparatus is particularly named in that it consists of a fixture or jig
which has a longitudinal extension that corresponds to the longitudinal
extension of the desired tubular carton part and a cross-sectional outer
profile which corresponds substantially to the cross-sectional outer
profile of the desired tubular carton part, and in that attachment devices
are provided so that an edge part of a sheet is secured contiguous with a
longitudinally extending corner part of the fixture, the corner part
forming a demarcation line between two mutually adjacent the parts, said
sheet being folded, wrapped, around the fixture so as to form the tubular
carton part and the flap parts which are on extension of side parts of the
carton part; and the fixture can provide a template for facilitaing
removal of excess parts of a sheet mounted on the fixture.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to
exemplifying embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings;
in which
FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a first embodiment of an inventive
fixture, seen transversely to the longitudinal axis of the fixture;
FIG. 2 illustrates the fixture of FIG. 1, seen from the right of said
Figure;
FIG. 3 illustrates a carton sheet blank produced with the aid of and in
accordance with a fixture substantially of the kind illustrated in FIGS. 1
and 2;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a carton or box produced from a sheet blank
substantially according to FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 illustrates schematically a mechanical knife arrangement for
producing flap parts of a sheet, and illustrates the fixture as seen in
FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 illustrates schematically the arrangement shown in FIG. 5, seen from
the left in said Figure; and
FIG. 7 is a schematic, central longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment
of an inventive fixture provided with collapsible support parts.
In FIG. 4, the reference numeral 1 identifies a carton produced in
accordance with the invention, while in FIG. 3 the reference numeral 1'
identifies a continuous, finished sheet blank produced from a sheet having
a size which includes at least said finished sheet blank.
The carton 1 comprises a substantially tubular, carton par 2, which could
be cylindrical but in the illustrated embodiment has a substantially
rectangular outer cross-sectional profile, flap parts 3 located preferably
at each of the two ends of the carton part, these flap parts functioning
to close the end of the completed tubular carton.
In cross-section, the illustrated carton blank 1' is constructed from a
continuous row of sequentially disposed carton members which form side
parts 4, FIG. 3.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, the reference numeral 5 identifies a fixture which has a
longitudinal extension that corresponds to the longitudinal extension of
the tubular carton part, and a cross-sectional outer profile which
corresponds substantially to the cross-sectional outer profile of the
tubular carton pat 2. The illustrated fixture 5 includes attachment
devices 6 in the form of elongated retaining slots 7 which are intended to
receive an edge part 8 of a sheet blank, preferably contiguous with an
elongated corner part 9 thereof, said corner part 9 forming a demarcation
part between two mutually adjacent side parts 4; a sheet blank is intended
to be folded, wrapped, around the fixture, FIG. 2, to form the tubular
carton part 2 and also flap parts as a continuation of the carton part.
The fixture is also intended to form a template to facilitate removal;
excessive parts of a sheet blank mounted on the fixture, when necessary.
An edge part 8 of a sheet to be made into a sheet blank is intended to be
inserted into said retaining slot 7 and retained, and the sheet then
folded to form said edge part 8 into a securing flap 8' by means of which,
when constructed, the tubular carton part is held together in a known
manner.
According to one preferred embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the
slot 7 has a predetermined depth to which the edge part 8 can be inserted,
the depth of said slot 7 functioning to determine the length of the
securing flap 8 transversely to the longitudinal direction, i.e. in the
circumference direction of the tubular carton part.
Projecting substantially in the aforesaid longitudinal direction, from the
part 5' of the fixture, said part corresponding to the tubular carton part
2, are support parts 5" between which are formed cutting slits 9' enabling
the fixture to be used as a template or the like when forming said flap
parts 3 with the aid of cuts 3' made substantially in the longitudinal
direction of the fixture.
According to the one preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the fixture
includes externally mounted strips 10 which form ridges that extend
substantially transversely to said longitudinal direction at the ends of
the central fixture part 5', such strips 10 functioning to produce bending
lines 11, FIG. 3, in the sheet at the junction between the tubular carton
side parts 4 and the flap parts 3, primarily by the ridge strips being
pressed into the sheet as it is wrapped around the fixture.
In the case of the embodiment of the fixture illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2,
the fixture comprises a substantially tubular, body having a central part
5' which functions to form the tubular carton part 2, and two end parts 12
which adjoin the central part 5'. The end parts 12 form support parts
which function to form flap parts from the sheet and which include
requisite cutting slots 9' or slits 9', in the illustrated case,
corner-located slits, which is typical with such apparatus. The body of
the fixture includes two, internally located end walls 13, where one end
wall is located at each junction between the central part 5' and
respective end parts 12. The end walls have a stiffening and retaining
effect. As with the illustrated case, the retaining slot 7 can be given a
predetermined depth, by providing a recess 7' in each end wall, as seen
from FIG. 2.
According to a second embodiment of the fixture, the fixture can be rotated
about a longitudinal axle or shaft. As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 in the
case of this embodiment, an axle or shaft 14 extends at least from one end
wall 13 or the like and is connected to means (not shown) for rotation of
the fixture. According to a further portion of this embodiment, a knife
arrangement 15 or the like is provided for the purpose of forming said
flap parts as the fixture is rotated. A sleeve 17 carrying knife assembly
15 is arranged to move axially on the axle or shaft 14 and is held
substantially against rotation on the shaft 14 by means of a key and
key-way arrangement 16, said knife assembly being intended too move into
the cutting slots 9' and cut the requisite slits 3" in the sheet.
FIG. 7 illustrates a still further embodiment of the inventive fixture in
which the support parts 5" can be folded or collapsed to and extended from
an end-wall position, as indicated by the arrows 19. In this case, when
the arrangement includes four support parts 5" at respective ends of the
fixture, the support parts are preferably capable of being collapsed and
extended in pairs. Embodiments are conceivable in which only two mutually
opposing support parts 5" are provided at each end of the fixture. In this
case, cutting slits are formed by omitting two side parts, cutting of the
sheet being effected along the longitudinal edges of said support parts.
In the case of embodiments which include foldable support parts, no strips
10 are required for producing folding lines, since folding of the flap
parts 3 of a sheet blank can be effected along the wall edge 20 of the
central fixture part.
The supports parts 5" are preferably capable of being fixed in their
respective end-wall positions, with the aid of suitable latching devices,
and optionally of being returned from the end-wall position under the
action of spring forces 21, as illustrated in FIG. 7.
The manner in which the inventive apparatus works, and also the working
steps of the inventive method, will be understood in all essentials from
the aforegoing. Thus, one edge part of a sheet for a sheet blank, which
sheet may consist of a piece of a used, larger carton or box, is
appropriately attached to the fixture and the sheet rotated so as to wrap
around the fixture. Protruding parts of the sheet are cut away and flap
parts are formed by means of substantially longitudinally extending cuts
to make a sheet blank. A sheet blank mounted on the fixture is shown in
broken lines in FIG. 2.
In the case of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 if desired, a carton or
box 1 can be produced on the same folding fixture. In this case, cuts are
made along the lines 3" FIG. 1 to provide flap parts 3, whereafter the
flap parts at one end of the fixture, and also the end-wall parts, are
folded to an end-wall position in order to close one end of the carton or
box, whereafter said parts are secured permanently with the aid of
adhesive tape or the like. The flap parts at the other end are folded in a
corresponding manner, although closure of the box or carton is not made
permanent and the flap parts, and suitably also the support parts, can be
re-extended to an open position, whereafter the fixture, possibly with the
aid of an internal handle 22, is lifted from the carton or box thus
constructed.
It will be understood from the aforegoing that the method and apparatus
according to the invention provide a solution to the aforesaid problem of
producing cartons, boxes and the like in a rational manner at low cost.
Although the invention has been described with reference to illustrative
embodiments thereof, it will be understood that other embodiments and
minor modifications to those embodiments shown are conceivable, without
departing from the concept of the invention.
For instance, cartons in which the tubular carton part 2 comprises a
desired number of side parts 4, for instance three such parts, can be
produced, by appropriate configuration of the cross-sectional outer
profile of the central part of the fixture.
Furthermore, it is conceivable to provide flap parts 3 solely at one end of
the carton part 2. It is also conceivable to provide flap parts solely on
certain ones of the side parts 4.
Those cuts 3" by means of which the flap parts are formed can, of course,
be produced in a manner different to that described. For instance, the
cuts can be made manually with the aid of a knife, such as the knife 18
shown in FIG. 1.
The invention shall not therefore be considered as limited to the
aforedescribed and illustrated embodiments, since modifications can be
made within the scope of the following claims.
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